Help with Safari Plaque

Original/PRO Series (Buildbotics) (Gen 1)
1

I have a question for the group.

I have finished a 20 x 30 relief carving of an African scene.

I have two coats of sanding sealer and 3 coats of Poly.

This plaque varies in thickness from 1.5 inches down to .375 inch thick.

It has a frame that is 1inch thick by 1.25 inches. The Frame has a rabbit that is .375 and this makes the back completely flat.

My main concern is that I want this to last a long time.

It will be hung on an inside wall.

This plaque is made from 6/4 cherry, three pieces that are edge glued and dowelled together.

I am concerned with wood movement and want to eliminate the possibility of it cracking or splitting. The grain runs along the X axis.

Do you think that I need to be concerned or will I need to add some sort of “stiffener” to help hold this together.

One Idea I had (if necessary) is to embed two steel rods in epoxy across the grain.

I could carve a couple of grooves in the back to embed the steel rods (maybe â…› diameter)

Here is a picture of the plaque.

image
image1920Ă—1920 334 KB

Thanks in Advance

Mike

2

Couple of questions
1 .was the cherry kiln dried and what was the moisture content?
2. What are the house conditions does the humidity change seasonally?
You might consider bow ties near the ends to prevent cracking but I think the steel would cause more issues as wood needs to expand and contract

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3

The carved panel needs to be free to expand and contract along the vertical frame members. Personally, I’d attach them like breadboard ends on a tabletop. The simplest joinery would be a tongue on the panel ends fitting into a groove in the vertical frame pieces, glued/fastened only near the centerline of the panel.

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4

Steel rods will not help at all they use wooden wedges to quarry granite. Imagine what that would do to thin steel rods? No, the solution with every piece of wood you ever carve is, whatever finish you do to one side you do to all sides. That is the secret to stop cracking and then of course avoid Water and weather.

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5

Looking at you picture the wood strands run in the X axis or left to right / right to left.

Wood does not grow or expand in the wood strand length. The expansion will happen in the Y axis or up or down. You need to keep in mind it is wood and over years wood will change with humidty and temperature. Wood can dry out.

Welcome to the world of wood working

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